Make It Work

Prompt from purplecatprincess on tumblr: Bae meets his new mommy Belle and Rumpelstiltskin is the most awkward about the new family life.

They're two peas in a pod, and Rumpelstiltskin can't figure out how he became exceedingly blessed after centuries of being a dealing monster.

Belle and Bae took to each other instantly. They found Rum's lost son, still the boy he'd let go through a mystery portal, wandering into Storybrooke confused and scared. Belle pulled the poor bewildered boy to her, embracing him with such motherly love to the point that Rum had to pry her away. The two have been inseparable ever since.

And that's what Rum can't get over.

All Baelfire's life he'd grown up without a mother. It was hard raising a child on his own being a lowly spinner peasant, but Rumpelstiltskin did his best with the poor circumstances that were dealt him. Even if they didn't have anything, at least they had each other and they made it work.

Then came the woman who stole his virulent heart. Somehow they built a stable relationship on rocky ground and she became his wife and they just made it work.

Bae has finally returned into his life and he has Belle and Rum truly has no clue how to make it work anymore.

He watches them chatting merrily at the kitchen table sharing a box of cereal. He can tell in Bae's shining eyes that he already sees Belle has a mother. Rum had dreamed of such a thing, but now that it's right in front of him, he's not sure how to handle it. Where does an old monster fit in to such a perfect picture?

So, he leans on the counter sipping a morning cup of coffee and just observes. He doesn't dare invite himself to join them, can't bear to think that he'd be a third wheel to their little circle.

"Rum?" Belle's voice calls cheerfully.

"Yes, love?"

"Come join us, Papa" Bae offers, and he can't resist them no matter how silly it feels to be uncomfortable about sitting at the breakfast table with your wife and son.

Belle and Bae go back to their merry chatter as he watches them from across the table. But Belle is sharing secret smiles with him when their son is taking a bite of cereal, and Bae is coaxing his father to agree with him whenever he's trying to make a point to his new mother. Maybe, just maybe, Rum can make this work after all.